A Brother Endangered
by TMNTgrl
Summary: No longer a oneshot, by request! When the youngest brother is found in danger in the sewers, there is worry not only about his condition, but also about what attacked him. Leo's POV. Rated for very mild langauge and a decent amount of blood. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Okay, I'm still figuring a few things out here, so bear with me, please...posting a oneshot is more complicated than I expected...I can only imagine what's going to happen when I get to chapter stories...

Anyhow, this is just a random oneshot I wrote one day. It's short, yes, and I'm really not even sure where the idea came from. I'm using this as a 'beta story', trying to figure out how to put stuff up and make it look good and...stuff.

So, anything that looks off, please let me know, and any constructive criticism will be appreciated. Flames will cause me to reach for a stress ball.

**Disclaimer: I don't own the turtles, or anything else in this story. Plot, yes. Lots of turtle merchandise, yes. Characters and setting...not so much.**

* * *

He was as pale as a ghost when we found him, lying unconscious in a pool of blood. He looked so frail, so weak . . . 

I thought my heart was going to stop when I saw the horrific sight. I was the first one at his side, but my brother was right behind me.

I gently lifted my little brother's head up, ignoring the sticky blood that was getting on my fingers. Behind me, I heard Don gasp.

"Oh no . . ."

I gulped when I realized that I could feel a deep gash in the back of my little brother's head. Nevertheless, I gave him a light shake in an effort to revive him. "Come on . . . come on . . . wake up, bro . . . just open your eyes . . ."

He moaned weakly and blinked up at us. "Leo . . . ?" he whispered, voice hoarse.

"Who did this to you?" I asked anxiously.

I felt a shiver run through his body and he shook his head. "Come on," I coaxed. "You can tell us. We won't be upset."

He lifted up a shaky hand and rested it on my shoulder. "Leo," he croaked, "I . . ."

"It's okay," I soothed. "You can tell us. Who did this? Who attacked you?"

He shut his eyes and shivered again. "Teeth . . . white teeth . . . snarling . . . gaping mouth . . . grabbed onto my head . . . thigh, too . . . hurts . . ."

I frowned in confusion; this wasn't helping much. I heard him gasp, felt him squeeze my shoulder just a little harder.

"Crocodile," he gasped out. "Albino . . . crocodile . . . attacked me . . ."

I understood, then, and I nodded. "You were attacked by an albino crocodile?"

He nodded weakly. "Scared, Leo," he whispered. "So scared . . ."

I shifted so that I could hold him against my chest. After a moment, he buried his head in the crook of my neck. I could feel his warm, damp tears falling onto my plastron, and I held him tighter. "Shh," I murmured in a low, soothing tone. "I'm here now. We're all here for you and we won't let anyone or anything hurt you."

He whimpered and choked back a sob as Don gently pressed a cloth to the deep gash on the back of his head. I nodded and placed my hand against the cloth, holding it firm.

I didn't stand up. Not yet. I stroked my little brother's shell with my free hand, gently rocking him back and forth in an effort to console his fears. Gradually, his quivering shoulders began to relax.

"You're going to be okay, Mikey," I whispered. "Everything's going to be okay. I promise."

He nodded weakly. The back of his orange bandanna was stained with blood. I stood up, cradling him tenderly in my arms.

He whimpered. I allowed him to cuddle against my chest without protest; I could feel the waves of fear and hurt coming off of him.

Really, he shouldn't have been in this section of the sewer, especially not alone, but we could worry about that later, when he was safe and sound at the lair.

Another thing we'd probably have to worry about later was that croc. With it having a taste for turtle blood . . .

I shook the thought from my head and concentrated on making it back to the lair with my little brother in my arms. He kept shifting positions, keeping his head in the crook of my neck the whole time, and this didn't make carrying him very easy.

But still, he's my little brother. What else could I do but put up with it?

"It's going to be okay," I kept assuring him. "You're going to make it through. And we're going to take care of that croc, too."

"T-together?"

"Together," I echoed firmly. "Promise."

* * *

And, that's it for this oneshot. Like I said, random idea. Piece together what happens next if you like. 

Again, criticism appreciated. Flames transferred into stress balls. Anything that looks weird, please let me know. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: Sorry about the wait. I'm having some technical difficulties with plot issues...seeing as how this was never meant to be more than a oneshot...but it's slowly coming along. I know there isn't much to this chapter...but excitement will start soon, I promise!_**

**_kittknight: I just love suspense. Don't you? ;)_**

**_winged-monkey: Thanks. I don't know if I can make it into a series, but I can make it into a chapter story sure as shell. _**

**_Rachel-Mo: Yes. I know. Thanks ._**

**_moogsthewriter: Yeah...I finally decided to leave Raph at the lair until the second chapter...so just to clarify, Raph was NOT in the first chapter. He was NOT out in the sewers with Leo and Donny. He was at the lair._**

**_raeha ur writer buddy: Yes, a turtle can TOO be pale! so HA!_**

**_nunchucks: Cuz...I want him to be...? ._**

**_BigfootSighted: Thanks. That makes me happy. :D See?_**

**_Disclaimer: Don't own TMNT. Still don't. Never will._**

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"How's he doing?" Raph asked anxiously.

"Hard to say," I replied. I hated to say it, especially in front of Raph, but it was the truth. Our little brother was hurt, and hurt bad. "Donny's busy patching him up right now. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what he says."

"What happened out there?"

"We . . . don't know exactly what happened yet. Donny and I found him lying unconscious. The back of his head is really torn up, and so is his thigh. It might be a while before he can walk again. But I swear, when he woke up . . . I don't think I've ever seen him that scared in my whole life."

"Do you . . . know what attacked him?"

I sighed; this was what I had really been dreading to tell my brother. "Raph . . . do you recall having a tangle with an albino croc about ten years ago?"

Raph's eyes widened to the size of quarters. "No way. You can't be serious."

I nodded. "I'm dead serious, bro."

"But . . . Leo, I need to talk to him. I have to."

"You can talk to him as soon as Donny's finished. He told me to stay out and let him work."

"But . . . but I . . ."

"I know, Raph. I know." I led him up to Mikey's room. "Donny?"

"You can come in. I'm all finished here; Mikey just didn't want me to leave yet."

"Go on, Raph," I said. "Go on."

Raph edged into the room; I followed close behind.

Mikey shrank back fearfully when he saw us. "Easy," Don murmured. "Easy, little bro. It's only Leo and Raph. There's nothing to be afraid of, okay?"

Mikey sat up. "Raph?" he croaked. "Leo?"

"Hey, Mike," said Raph. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," Mikey replied, lying down again. "Head hurts, leg too. Don't think I'll be walking for a while."

"I wouldn't be surprised. If only you would have torn up your mouth, maybe things would finally be quiet for a while."

"Ha, ha, ha. But . . . you're right, I suppose. Man, it's gonna be _boring_ in here."

"Mikey," I said, "can you tell us just what happened out there?"

Mikey's face paled slightly, but he nodded. "Sensei . . . told me to go out scavenging, because I was a little restless and I think I was getting on his nerves. So I went out, but he hadn't really told me what to scavenge up. So I was wandering around and I . . . I passed by some old, rotten planks of wood that looked like they had once blocked a passage. Of course, I went in and . . . the croc came out of . . . nowhere and it . . ."

Don wrapped a comforting arm around Mikey's shoulders. "Attacked you and left you for dead. And then we found you, and everyone knows the rest. Now get some sleep. We'll talk more about this later, once you've calmed down, and once you're feeling better."

Mikey nodded weakly; he was trembling again. We talked to him quietly for a few minutes, soothing his fears and helping him relax by reassuring him that he was safe now, that nothing was going to hurt him. After a short while of this, he closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

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**_A/N: The next chapter will be more exciting, I swear! Anyhow, constructive criticism makes smilie faces. Flames will be used for firewood (it's COLD in here!)_**


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: OwO! More reviews! That makes my day happier! Yip!_**

**_MichelleAngela: Guess I didn't really realize how hang-offy this was before...ah well. Glad you like it!_**

**_winged-monkey: Oh, don't worry. I've got some nice plans laid out...all I need is filler stuff..._**

**_BigfootSighted: Yeeah...I was having some difficulties with what was going on and all...this one's longer, promise!_**

**_moogsthewriter: Thanks. I agree. Not all chapters can be drama and action, right? ;)_**

**_Disclaimer: I still don't own TMNT._**

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It was pretty clear right away that Mikey was none too happy about having to hobble around with crutches while his leg wound healed. He also didn't seem to happy about us constantly telling him to take it easy, seeing as how almost every time he stood up, he got dizzy and nearly fell over.

I hated seeing him so down and discontented. But really, I wasn't too sure of how to help except for encouraging him and reassuring him that he'd be okay, that he'd heal with time and then he'd be back to his usual bouncy self. He didn't seem very convinced.

Things didn't get much better when Splinter called us all into his room for a lengthy talk. Almost at once, Mikey grew very pale and began to tremble.

"What's wrong, bro?" I asked him.

"I . . . I know what he's gonna say," Mikey replied softly. "He . . . he's gonna be mad and he's gonna lecture me about going out alone and into that passage and he . . . he . . ."

"I'm sure sensei will understand," I murmured sympathetically. "I mean, you didn't know the passage was supposed to be blocked; the wood rotted away. You didn't know there would be a huge croc in there, right?"

"R-right."

"Come on. Just tell sensei the truth about what happened, just like you told us. Everything will be okay."

Mikey nodded weakly. "J-just . . . don't make me go out into the sewers alone again, Leo. Please, please don't."

"If sensei wants you to go out, I'll come with you, even if I have to sneak. Promise."

"Enter, my sons."

The four of us went into sensei's room. He had several candles lit, creating a warm, pleasant atmosphere. There was no trace of frustration or anger on his face as we knelt on the mat before him.

"Michelangelo," he said.

Mikey looked up. "Y-yes, Master Splinter?"

"Tell me, where did you go that day I told you to scavenge in the sewers alone?"

"I-I went . . . well, it was just kinda aimless wandering, and I came to this passage that had a few rotten wooden planks strewn around. I'd never been there before, and I thought maybe there'd be something worth scavenging up, so I went in. Then I heard this grumbling noise, and I turned around and . . . and . . ." Mikey gulped. "I'm really, really sorry, sensei. I didn't know the passage was supposed to be blocked off and I just-"

Splinter held up a hand to stem Mikey's apology. "There is no need for apologies, my son. Raphael, Leonardo, I wish for you two to go out into the sewers and re-blockade the passage, for safety reasons."

"Yes, sensei," I said.

"Sure, whatever," said Raph.

I rolled my eyes and stood up. "Come on, Raph. May as well get this done." Without waiting for his response, I headed for the lair's exit. He soon caught up, jogging a short ways in front of me.

"Guys, wait up!"

We both turned to see Mikey trotting towards us. "Wait! I . . . I want to come too. Just so I can see for myself that the passage is blocked."

Trust Mikey never to want to be left behind, even when he's terrified out of his wits. I think that, more than seeing that the passage was blocked, he really just wanted to show us that he's not a coward. So, Raph and I nodded, and the three of us set off for the passage.

We- well, me mostly- tried to set a somewhat slow pace so that Mikey could keep up without causing himself pain. Even so, he was limping heavily by the time we were halfway there. "You okay?" I asked.

"Fine," Mikey replied, standing up a little straighter to prove it. "I'm just fine."

But only a few minutes later, we heard a stumble, a splash, and a loud, "Oof!"

"Mikey," Raph said, exasperation in his tone.

"I'm _okay_," Mikey insisted, struggling to his feet. "I slipped on a wet brick. That's all."

But I had already seen the bandage around his leg, and it was absolutely blood-soaked. "No way, Mike. You're in no condition to be running around the sewers, especially with such a deep, open wound."

"But _Leo_!" Mikey whined.

"And we're not carrying you," I added. "Now I'll call Donny and have him come pick you up in the sewer slider."

"No!" Mikey cried, stamping his foot angrily. "I'm coming and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

I stared at him for a long moment. _That_ was an odd reaction. I wasn't entirely sure, but it almost seemed like . . .

Like . . .

He was having a temper tantrum.

At . . . sixteen years old.

"Mikey, shut _up_!" Raph yelled.

"No! I won't! I won't and you can't make me!" Mikey wailed and clasped his hands to his head.

"Michelangelo!" I exclaimed. "What's wrong?"

Mikey fell to his knees with a moan. "Head hurts," he whispered. "Hurts . . . dizzy . . . b-bleeding . . ."

Raph touched the back of Mikey's head and cringed. "He's in bad shape, Leo. Real bad."

"Come on, Mike," I said, pulling my younger sibling to his feet. He yelled and yanked his arm away. "What, what?" I asked. "What is it?"

"Don't touch me!" Mikey cried. "It _hurts_, Leo!"

"What do you mean 'it hurts'?"

"It just hurts! It hurts when something touches me! Just don't!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I said hastily. "I didn't know, okay? Now _calm down_. Let's get you back to the lair."

"I don't _wanna_ go back to the lair!"

I like to think of myself as the patient type. But that patience was just about exhausted. "Well, you're _going_ back to the lair, like it or not!"

"No I'm not and you can't make me!"

Mikey was seriously starting to sound like a child. A child having a fit. "_Mikey, you pay attention to what I'm saying and go back to the lair right now_!"

Mikey opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly gave a loud, "Gyack!" and froze.

Raph had a firm hold on the nerve in the back of Mikey's neck. "Alright, Laughin' Boy. When you're ready to calm down and get a hold of yourself, I'll let go."

I could see the blunt irritation in Raph's eyes. It was clear that he'd had enough, and he wasn't going to take any more. I folded my arms crossly, aggravated by the fact that he had so effortlessly taken care of the situation when I had been doing little to help.

Mikey gave a strangled noise and tried to squirm free. Raph gave him a firm jerk. "Ah! You gonna calm down and cooperate?"

Mikey crossed his arms and put on a sulking expression.

"Well?" Raph said.

Finally, Mikey gave in and gave a meek sigh of, "Yes."

Raph let go of his neck, shoving him just the slightest bit. "Lair. Now."

Mikey stuck out his tongue and started for home.

"Raph," I said, "think you can patch up the hole on your own? I'll be back to help soon, but I want to make sure Mikey gets home okay."

"Sure. Go ahead. I'll meet you halfway if I finish."

I nodded and dashed to catch up with Mikey. "Mike, wait up!"

Mikey glanced back and slowed to allow me to catch up. "I'm sorry," he said. "I don't know what happened. I just . . . like . . . lost it. My head started hurting and I just couldn't think. I'm sorry for being such a . . . a . . ."

"A pestering little twerp?"

"Gee, thanks. But, yeah. I . . . I never should have asked to come. I knew I'd just get myself, or you guys, in trouble."

"It's okay," I reassured. "Probably just has something to do with your head wound, huh?"

"I-I guess so."

"Look . . . I'm sorry about yelling at you like that. I was just . . . worried, I guess. Forgive me?"

"Yeah."

But I could see that he was still feeling pretty low. "Hey, cheer up. Come on, what's gonna make you smile?"

Mikey looked up. "Pizza?" he suggested hopefully.

I laughed. "I could've guessed. We'll have pizza for dinner tonight, okay?"

"Promise?"

"I promise."

He cheered up instantly after that. I merely smiled and walked alongside him, allowing him to set the pace.

I slowed down once when I saw a hunched, shadowy form in a side tunnel. I couldn't be sure of what it was, but I had a bad feeling.

But, I didn't say anything, and I kept walking. I didn't want Mikey to get frightened again. Not when he was finally looking like his usual cheery self.

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**_A/N: Ooooooh...can we say 'foreboding'? Mwehehe...please read and review! Reviews make my day that much happier!_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: Sorry this is taking so long...I'm still having major plot difficulties. Remember, this wasn't meant to be more than a oneshot, so expect some delays. Sorry!_**

**_Dark Duchess: Well, one of them is Fighting for Family, which is already up, and the other two...well, you'll find out when I get around to posting them ;) I'm not giving anything away just yet (and there are technically two others, but one I'm not really counting, and the other will 99 percent likely NOT be posted.)_**

**_BigfootSighted: Younger sibling, I assume? Never had one...so I wouldn't know..._**

**_winged-monkey: Really? That's an odd little quirk. Funny, though. And thanks!_**

**_moogsthewriter: You won't wait long...oh, wait...yeah, you might wait a little longer than I expected. This story is coming along so slowly..._**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT, or the croc_**

* * *

Once I was certain that Mikey was safely back at the lair, I grabbed my shell-sled and set off to help Raph blockade the forbidden passage. He was about halfway finished when I got there, and he was hunting around for large rocks to use as a barricade. Without a word, I started helping.

It only took a good fifteen minutes or so before the passage was completely blocked by hefty stones. Raph dusted his hands off and wordlessly set off for the lair.

I grabbed my shell-sled and tucked it under my arm and trailed a ways behind, not daring myself to speak. I felt bad about the way I had acted earlier, so rash and cross over such a small thing.

Finally, I forced myself to talk.

"Sorry."

"F'what?" Raph turned to look back at me, slowing down so I could catch up.

"For . . . for earlier. It was stupid of me to be so cross when you had a simple, practical solution and I wasn't doing a thing to help. I'm sorry."

I detected a glint of satisfaction in Raph's eyes. "I know. Don't sweat it, eh? Just let me get on that shell-sled of yours on the way home and we'll call it even."

"Sure. But only if I get to ride on the back."

"Course."

I set down the shell-sled and allowed Raph to climb on. The second he was seated, he gunned the engine and took off. "Hey!" I cried. "Get back here!"

Raph laughed and hit the brakes. "I'm just kiddin'. Hop on, bro."

"Very funny," I said. "_Very_ funny."

Raph just grinned. I fell silent on the way home. Something was making me uneasy.

Somehow, I just had a bad feeling. One of those little tingles in the back of my neck that said 'something is very, very wrong'.

"Raph," I said, "speed up a little bit, will you?"

"Why?"

"Something . . . just doesn't feel right. I don't know what. The sooner we get back to the lair, the better."

"Worrywart."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

How _could_ he say such a thing?! I was expressing a completely valid concern! "Raph, please. Just speed up a bit and get us back to the lair a little faster, okay?"

I'm positive that he was out to irk me at this point. He slowed down. I looked over my shoulder, and my eyes widened. "Raph, I'm serious! Speed up!"

"Leo, there's nothin' to worry about. The passage is blocked; everything's cool."

"Raph," I said. "Raph!"

He ignored me.

"_Raph_!"

Raph rolled his eyes and turned his head to glare at me. "Look, Leo, will you calm down and stop- whoa!"

The croc was about five inches behind us.

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**_A/N: Yes, I know, bad Raphie, bad. Please R and R! Flames will be used for my fireplace...it's STILL freezing in here..._**


	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N: GAH! Finally! I think this story may at last have a heading...or if it did, it was a few days ago. My brain isn't up for thinking at the moment, so I'll just put up another chapter for all my kind readers!_**

**_Disclaimer: I STILL don't own TMNT...and I can't type today either. It took me 4 tries to spell 'own'._**

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"_Speed up_!" I yelled.

This time, Raph listened. I breathed a soft sigh of relief; there was no way the croc could move fast enough to-

_Crunch._

Shell.

I slowly turned my head to look back at the croc. It was gnawing blissfully on the engine of the shell-sled. "Jump!" I told Raph.

We jumped, and both tumbled into the dirty, cold sewer water. "Now what?" Raph asked.

I rolled my eyes. What did he _think_ we were going to do next? "_Run_!" I hissed.

He ran. I followed, soon overtaking him. We could both hear the thumping splashes of the croc behind us, but it couldn't run near as fast. After only a few minutes, it gave up and stalked away.

"Phew," Raph sighed. "Glad that's over. Looks like we're walking the rest of the way, eh?"

"Yeah," I said. "Raph, next time I tell you to speed up, just _speed up_."

Raph grinned. "Sure. Right."

We returned to the lair, and the sight that awaited us about made my heart stop.

Mikey was lying in the middle of the floor, unconscious, the bandage around his head soaked with blood. "_Donny_!" Raph bellowed.

I just stood there, shocked. How could Don have just _left_ Mikey on the floor like that? How could he have been so _ignorant_?

Don came out of his lab. "Yeah, Raph? Something wrong?"

"_That_ is what's wrong!" I yelled, pointing to Mikey's still form. "Don how could you have just let him collapse and then left him there like that?!"

But there was no mistaking the astonishment on Don's face. "Leo, I . . . I didn't know. I was in my lab; I didn't hear him fall."

My anger evaporated instantly. "I'm sorry."

Don knelt down beside our little brother, gently touching the once-white bandage. "He's in bad shape; he's losing a lot of blood from that head wound. Take him up to his room and I'll be there in a minute."

"Come on, Raph," I said. "You take his legs, and I'll take his arms."

"Yeah . . . sure . . ."

I noticed how . . . lost Raph suddenly seemed. I figured he was just shocked; I mean, come on. Nearly getting your butt chewed off by a croc with a taste for blood, and coming home to find your little brother unconscious on the floor . . . who wouldn't be a bit freaked?

. . . Besides me. But I'm used to taking things like this without so much as a hint of panic. Well, usually.

I suppressed a sigh. This was turning out to be one of those days . . .

We laid Mikey on his bed. He whimpered and stirred a bit, but he didn't awaken.

"Mikey," I said. "Mikey, wake up."

Mikey didn't respond.

"Wake up!" I said, a little louder.

Still, he didn't move.

"Come on, bro," I said, this time in a more coaxing tone. "You gotta wake up now."

This time, to our relief, Mikey stirred weakly and opened his eyes just a bit. He closed them again with a moan. "Leo," he croaked, "Leo, my head hurts. Like, a lot."

"Take it easy," Raph said. "You passed out in the middle of the floor, y'know."

"I . . . I did . . . ?"

"You did," Don said as he came in holding fresh bandages, a bowl of soapy water, and a small flashlight. "Are you feeling any better now?"

"Uh-uh. My head hurts really bad."

"Well, let's get this bandage off and see what we can do, hmm?"

"Okay."

Mikey sat still and allowed us to gently peel away the sticky, blood-soaked bandage. Raph cringed. I made a great effort not to.

"Yikes," Don said. "This is a lot deeper than I thought. Will you stay still long enough for me to wash this blood off?"

"Do I _have_ to?"

"Yes. You do."

"Then why'd you ask?"

Don thought for a long moment. "Good question. Why do you do half the stuff you do?"

Mikey managed a small grin. "Touché."

After Don cleaned out the wound and rewrapped it, he picked up the small flashlight. "Mikey, I'm going to shine this on your eyes, okay? I want to check your pupil dilation, and make sure that nothing's wrong. Now if you'll just close your eyes and sit still for me . . ."

Mikey shut his eyes. "Why do I need to do this?"

"You'll find out." Don lifted one of Mikey's eyelids with his finger and shined the light on the exposed pupil.

Mikey yelped and jerked away. "Ow! Don, don't do that!"

"Do what?"

"Whatever you just did! Did you, like, poke my eye or something?"

"No, I didn't. I swear. That's odd . . ."

"What's odd?" I asked, leaning forward curiously.

"He seems to be developing a sensitivity to light. Let me check his other eye." Don repeated the same procedure.

Mikey yelped again and knocked the flashlight out of his brother's hand. "Donny, cut it out! That _hurts_!"

"_Sorry_." Don picked up the flashlight. "Mikey, come with me."

"Where are we-?"

"Come."

Of course, Raph and I followed after, our curiosity not near satisfied. The instant Mikey stepped out of his room and into the well-lit lair, he shrieked and covered his face with his arms, squeezing his eyes shut. Raph grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the shadowy area of his room.

"Guys, it really does hurt!" Mikey insisted. "The light seriously hurts my eyes!"

Don sighed heavily. "I was afraid of this."

"Afraid of what, Donny?" I asked, almost timidly.

Don lightly touched the back of Mikey's head. "I'm afraid this attack may have left Mikey with more than just a scar on his head and a paralyzing fear of crocs."

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**_A/N: Woohoo! Mikey torture! Anyhow, reviewers will get a nice fruit bowl. Flames will be used to warm my fingers...again. I can't wait for spring._**


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N: Why is the Numa-Numa song stuck in my head...? Anyway, I finally got my rear in fear on typing this, and the rest is finally all typed out! Now it's just a matter of posting, so...the more reviews I see, the faster the next chapter comes, so don't be shy! Please do R and R!_**

**_Disclaimer: Don't own TMNT, yadda yadda._**

* * *

"In English, Einstein?" Raph said.

"Brain damage?" I guessed quietly.

Don nodded slowly. "I'm afraid so."

Mikey looked up at him in shock. "No way! _Brain_ damage?"

"How could he have brain damage?" Raph asked. "There ain't much of a brain up there to _get_ damaged."

Mikey rolled his eyes. "You're hilarious." He looked back at Don. "But . . . you can fix it, right Donny?"

Don was silent for a moment.

"Donny?" I asked hesitantly.

"All we can do is hope that it fixes itself," Don replied at last. "But I can't do a thing. If the damage is irreversible . . ." His voice trailed off and he shook his head sorrowfully.

"I'm not gonna die . . . am I?" Mikey whispered.

"No, no, of course not," Don soothed. "You'll . . . you'll just . . ."

"Have to adapt," I finished quickly. "You'll learn ways to work around this. And, hopefully, it'll heal itself and you'll be back to normal in no time."

"Yeah . . . sure." But now Mikey looked pretty despondent. "I . . . I want to be alone, guys," he said.

What else could we do? "Okay, Mike," I said softly. "We'll leave."

And so, we left him to be alone.

"Donny," I pressed, "there has to be something you can-"

"I can't!" Don spun towards me, and I stopped dead in my tracks. "I can't fix it, okay? Our brother isn't a machine! We can't just go out and get spare parts and some extra screws! _I can't fix it_. I'm not a doctor. I'm an engineer."

"Don, I'm sorry," I said hastily. "I . . . I just thought that-"

"You thought wrong!" With that, Don ran to his lab, and there he stayed.

I looked at Raph. He shrugged. "Guess he's real upset," he remarked.

I sighed. "You think?" Leaving Raph to do whatever it was he was doing, I made my way to my brainy sibling's lab. "Donny?"

"I'm sorry," a timid voice whispered.

I went to his side and touched his shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay, bro. Really. I know you can't fix everything. I just hoped . . ."

"I said I'm sorry!" Don suddenly cried. "I know you're all counting on me to make this right again, but I just _can't_! It . . . it's completely beyond anyone's control now. I feel so bad about it . . . I feel like I really let Mikey down."

"You didn't let him down," I said firmly. "Even though things went wrong, things you can't fix, Mikey still thinks you're a great guy. We all do, bro. We can get through this. And, with any luck, whatever damage happened will heal on its own soon enough. Now come on. It's your night to fix dinner." I snapped my fingers as I remembered. "Scratch that. I promised Mikey that we'd have pizza tonight."

Don glanced up from fiddling with a screwdriver. "And why did you do that?"

"He was feeling a bit down, and the prospect of pizza for dinner cheered him up in half a second. I'll let you know when I'm going out."

"Oh, that's okay. I'll go."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

So, Don went to get pizza. I reminded Mikey about dinner, and he gave a moan of disappointment about being trapped in his room.

"Mikey, catch," Raph said, tossing something at him.

Mikey caught the pair of glasses, frowning slightly. "Dude, I'm not blind, y'know."

"They're sunglasses, dope."

"Oh. _Oh_! You mean to block out the light?"

Raph rolled his eyes. "Nah, to protect you from UV radiation. Of _course_ they're to block out the light! I just . . . figured they might help, y'know?"

Mikey put on the sunglasses and crept out of his room. "Hey, it works! Thanks, Raphie boy!"

"Eh." That was all Raph would say.

Don came back soon enough, carrying more than enough pizza for dinner. But as Raph and Mikey settled in front of the TV, Don drew me aside. "Leo," he said in a low voice, "the croc. It's getting closer. It . . . it may not be long before it's in range of the lair. I think I saw it while I was out . . . and I thought you'd want to know."

I laid a hand on his shoulder. "Make sure those security gizmos of yours are up and running tonight." I paused and added quietly, "And not a word of this to Mikey. He doesn't need anything like that scaring him silly again."

"I understand." Don turned toward Raph and Mikey. "So, guys, who's hungry?"

I was the only one who didn't reply. I _was_ hungry earlier . . . but now I was nervous. Anxious, more than anything, really. A croc with a taste for blood so close to the lair . . .

I didn't like it one bit.

That night, I was the last one awake. Some strange feeling made me peer into each of my sibling's rooms before I went to bed.

I still didn't like the feeling that a croc that big was close. Really close. I checked Don's room, and Raph's. They were both fast asleep, Raph snoring up a thunderstorm and Don breathing so quietly that I could barely hear it. Those two always were polar opposites, even in their sleep.

Then I went to check on Mikey. He wasn't sleeping near as soundly. I could hear him shifting and making soft noises of distress.

Restless.

I crept into his room and sat down on the bed. "Hey, hey, settle down, Mikey. You must be tired."

"I _am_ tired, Leo," he whispered, rolling onto his back. "I just can't sleep. I'm scared."

"What's the matter?" I asked gently.

"Like I said, I'm really scared. It's like . . . like something's trying to tell me that danger's closer than I think it is."

I bit my lip nervously. Well, I couldn't just go on hiding it from him, could I? "Mikey . . . there's something I think you should know."

"What is it?"

He looked trusting enough. And curious. And if I stopped now and just passed it off as nothing, he'd never let me hear the end of it. "Raph and I . . . were too late in blocking off the tunnel. The croc must have escaped before we got there . . . and it literally chased us halfway home. Donny told me he thinks it's getting closer to the lair, too. But . . . I told him not to tell you, because I didn't want you to freak . . ." I stopped, reconsidering my word choice. "I didn't want you to get scared again. I'm sorry I kept this from you."

Silence settled over the room.

"It's okay, y'know."

I look up at him. "You're okay with this?"

Mikey shrugged. "Dude, I understand. It's not like you want to go 'hey, world, a croc lives outside my home and it wants to eat me'. It's okay, really."

I reached over to turn on the lamp, hesitating and drawing away when I remembered. "Go ahead," Mikey said. "My eyes are sensitive, but not that sensitive. The lamp's really dim."

"Okay. If you're sure." I reached over and clicked on the lamp. Mikey blinked rapidly in the dim light, slowly adjusting his hypersensitive eyes. "Mikey . . ."

"Yeah, Leo?"

I didn't answer right away; I didn't really know what I was going to say in the first place. I wanted to tell him _something_ to make him feel better, but I didn't want to sound overprotective or melodramatic. I opened my mouth, and then closed it again.

"Don't worry about sounding sappy," Mikey said with a grin. "It's you, Leo. I'm used to it."

I placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Mikey," I said again, a hint more strength in my tone, "you . . ."

"Yes . . . ?"

I sighed. "You take it easy and get some sleep, okay?"

"Been trying. Guess I'm just thinking too hard tonight."

"Maybe." It was about then that I noticed his eyes were wet. "Oh, Mikey, Mikey, don't cry. I know you're stressed and scared, but . . ."

"Dude, I'm not crying." He rubbed at his eyes. "It's the light. It's like an allergy or something. My eyes itch."

"Are you sure you don't want me to turn it off?"

"I'm sure. Don't worry about it; I'll live."

"Alright. But only if you're sure."

"For the last time, Leo. I'm sure."

Something made me touch the back of his head gently. "Mikey, you're bleeding again."

"I know. I didn't want you to worry and fuss over it."

"Mike, you gotta speak up about this. If this wound doesn't heal . . ."

"I _know_, Leo. But the best way for it to heal is for you guys to leave it alone and _let it heal_. I'll put up with you taking the bandage off every day to put on a clean one, but no more than that. Now let go of my head."

I didn't.

"Let go, Leo," Mikey said softly. "I'm okay. I really am okay. Just let go."

Very, very slowly, I lowered my hand away from his wound. "Now go to bed and let me get some sleep," Mikey said. "If you want me to rest, then please, leave me be so I can rest! I'm tired, and I won't get much sleep with you sitting here on my bed all night. Your butt's on my covers."

"Sorry, Mikey." I stood up. "Forgive me. I guess I'm just feeling a little apprehensive right now . . . with everything that's happened to you. Let me know if I'm being overprotective and I'll cut it out."

"You are. Right now. _Go to bed_. You need as much sleep as I do, bro."

I nodded and went to the doorway, pausing only once. "You'll be okay?"

Mikey lay down with a yawn, turning off his lamp. "I'll be okay. G'night."

"Good night."

Somehow, I didn't feel very reassured. I was still anxious. And I didn't get more than a couple hours of sleep that night.

* * *

**_A/N: Heh...poor Mikey, having to put up with Leo's rear on his covers. Please R and R! Flames will be used to cook my dinner- I'm HUNGRY._**


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N: Dang...it's been raining all week and we have not gotten a SPECK of snow. Well, okay there was a puddle of snow that was a foot in diameter in my yard one morning, but...meh. When it's cold enough, the rain stops. When the rain starts, it's too warm for snow._**

**_Disclaimer: Still don't own TMNT._**

* * *

The next few days, I was convinced that I was becoming a nutcase. Every noise made me stiffen, and I was evidently sleep-deprived. Raph seemed to find the whole thing amusing, while Don just shook his head and repeatedly told me to take it easy.

Yeah, right.

I wasn't getting a whole lot of sleep. Every few hours at night, I would find myself getting up to check that Mikey was sleeping. Unfortunately, this usually resulted in me _waking_ him.

He eventually told me that if I woke him up one more time, he'd personally take a bunch of rocks and barricade me in my room. I took the hint and stayed in bed.

For a while, at least.

I couldn't help it! I just couldn't let him stay out of my sight for long. I didn't think I could bear to see some other horrible tragedy befall him. And so, out of bed I went.

This time, he didn't wake up. Because this time, he _was_ scared. And this time, he _did_ need me. He was whimpering and thrashing feebly in his sleep, as though trying to fight some unseen enemy.

And I knew exactly what that enemy was: big, white, and scaly.

Despite his threat, I went and sat down alongside him, tenderly running my hand across his carapace. "Lie still, bro. You're safe at the lair. The croc isn't here, Mikey. It's only me. I'll protect you."

But at the same time, I knew it was a lie. I couldn't protect him from something that wasn't there.

I couldn't protect him from his fear. He had to learn to protect himself.

I stayed with him a few minutes longer, stroking his shell compassionately, before he calmed down and passed into a deeper, more restful sleep. I stood up and went back to bed.

"Poor guy," I whispered aloud. "If only there was something more we could do . . ."

This wasn't right. Mikey didn't deserve this, any of it. The pain, the fear, the stress, none of it.

I wished with all of my heart that I could go back in time and stop this from ever happening.

But I knew I couldn't.

The next morning, I found a large rock outside of my room. And there was a note tied to it.

_Last warning, Leo. Next time, it won't just be one rock._

I couldn't help but roll my eyes and chuckle at that. And then I couldn't help but wonder if he was serious.

Probably best not to find out.

I went and collapsed on the couch with a yawn, turning on the History channel. After a short while, Mikey plopped down next to me. I scooted over so he had more room. "Hey, Mike."

"Hey, Mr. I'm-going-to-wake-my-brother-up-every-two-hours."

I looked away uneasily. Mikey yawned. So did I. He grabbed a blanket from under the couch and draped it over himself and me. "Thanks," I murmured, drawing him closer.

He rested his arm over my shoulder and leaned his head on my chest. "C'n I just nap here for a while?" he asked sleepily.

I didn't bother replying; I knew he was already asleep. I just smiled and rested my arm over his shoulder so my hand was on his chest. Couldn't hurt for me to catch up on a bit of sleep as well . . . not like Mikey was going to be moving any . . . time . . . soon . . .

I woke up once, very briefly, when I heard Raph chuckling. "What're you two doin'?"

"Sleeping," I replied drowsily. "And no, you can't have the TV." With that, I rolled over and went back to sleep.

"An' you call me a softy," Raph said.

The scent of dinner was what finally roused me from my doze. I sat up with a yawn and gave Mikey a light nudge. "Hey, little brother, rise and shine. Dinner smells ready. C'mon, time to wake up, eh?"

Mikey made a soft noise and nestled his head closer to my chest, if it was even possible at that point. "Hey, hey, easy," I murmured, giving him another nudge. "Wake up, Mikey. Wake up."

At last, he opened his eyes and looked up at me. "Leo?" he whispered hoarsely. "Leo, I was having a bad dream . . . I . . . I was really scared . . ."

"You don't have to tell me about it. I already know. Come on, let's go get some dinner, huh?"

"Y-yeah. Okay."

I took his arm gently to help him up, and he hissed and yanked it away. "Don't, Leo."

"Still hurts?"

"Uh-huh. Just don't touch, okay?"

I lowered my eyes guiltily. "I'm sorry, Mike. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"S'no big. Let's just get some dinner."

I stayed close by as he limped over to the table; his leg was looking pretty bad again. Raph was already eating, and sensei was just going to his room with a cup of tea. "Where's Don?" I asked, sitting down.

"Scavenging," Raph replied. "Said he'd be back in 'bout fifteen minutes."

"When did he leave?"

Raph glanced at the clock. "Fifteen minutes ago. He oughta be back any time." He resumed eating.

Worry crossed my face. "Well, if he isn't back in ten minutes, I'm going to call his she-"

Before I could finish, hurried footsteps caused me to turn. "Don!" we all exclaimed.

He stumbled toward us, tripped, and fell to his knees in his haste. "Whoa," I said. "Easy, Donny boy. What happened?"

"Dude," Mikey said. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Worse," Don panted. "The croc. I was on my way back when I heard a growl, and it pretty much chased me the rest of the way home."

"A-are you okay?" Mikey asked timidly. "Did it . . . follow you here?"

"No, but I wasn't taking any chances. I just wanted to get back as fast as I could."

I pulled him to his feet; he dusted himself off, regaining his bearings. "I'm okay, really. Just a little shaken up."

Raph jerked his head lightly. "Well, c'mere. Get some dinner."

We ate in silence. Raph spoke up once, asking Mikey if he was okay. Mikey's hands were shaking so hard that he could barely pick up his fork. The reply was a mumbled, "M'fine."

I felt for the poor guy. We all did, I'm sure. But all we could do was cross our fingers and hope things would get better.

It wasn't going to be that easy.

Mikey didn't go to bed until I promised to stay in my room all night. It hurt to do it, but I did. I promised him; even I could see that he was still pretty tired. I wasn't, though.

I don't really know why. I was just . . . restless. I rolled onto my back with a sigh and closed my eyes, fighting to go to sleep.

I heard a soft, muffled noise. Like thumping, almost. Maybe more like heavy footsteps.

Then, I heard something that chilled my blood to ice.

_Mikey_.

* * *

**_A/N: Oh wow, I found a major typo in this before I posted it...in the line where it says "Mikey's hands were shaking so hard that he could barely pick up his fork" well, before I edited it, it literally said "The Mikey's hands were shaking so hard..." etc. Wow. No longer is he Mikey. He is THE MIKEY! Ha. I better go to bed before my brain shuts off early._**


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: Aw, I actually had a lot of fun writing this story. I have another oneshot that I'm tempted to turn into a chapter story, but I'm keeping the details of that one in the closet for now. Should be interesting, though...anyway, here's the final chappie. Hope you all enjoyed!_**

**_Thanks to ShyLight for writing Murphy's Law (awesome story; I highly recommend it) and giving out the term 'Mushin'. And thanks to Puldoh for pointing out a MAJOR detail I happened to leave out...heh._**

**_Disclaimer: Don't own TMNT...never will._**

**Note: Revised as of 10/15/08. Thanks to Puldoh's review for pointing out the unfinished feeling of the ending.**

* * *

I didn't think; I just grabbed my swords and I _ran_. I knew that scream. That was a scream of pure terror. A scream of, 'help me, I'm scared'.

I ran for his room as fast as I could. The door was already open, and Raph and Don were right behind me.

My heart just about stopped.

Mikey sat cowering in a corner, huddled into a tiny ball with his knees hugged against his chest. His blue eyes were wider than I'd ever seen them.

And in front of him, growling and snapping menacingly, was the albino croc.

It was in our lair. In our little brother's room. Attacking him. Scaring him.

We couldn't let it get away with that.

But with its tail thrashing about so much, we couldn't get close enough to help.

"Mikey!" Raph yelled. "Mikey, move!"

Mikey stayed still. He was paralyzed like a frightened rabbit.

"Come on, Mike!" I called. "You can do this! Get up and fight!" I knew that if I could just get close enough to the croc to reach that special spot on its cheek . . . "Mikey! Come on, move! Move!"

"I-I can't!" Mikey wailed. "It'll attack me if I move! I'm too scared!"

"You're stronger than this, little bro!" Don told him. "I know you're brave enough to make it through this! We all know you're braver than we give you credit for!"

"Be brave!" I shouted. "Come on, Mikey! Be brave! Fight!"

He looked at me, and I thought my heart was gonna break when I saw his eyes. "You won't survive if you don't fight," I told him. "If you get up and you do go down, at least you'll go down fighting! Now show us! Show us that you really are a ninja!"

Mikey squeezed his eyes shut. And, as the croc lunged toward him, his foot shot out and hit it square in the chest. We all let out a cheer. Mikey scrambled to his feet and leapt onto his bed, hoping that it would be high enough to stave off the croc's attacks.

It wasn't.

The croc was mad now. It let out a roar and launched itself at the mattress, jaws wide open. Mikey was still scared, we could tell, but that spark in his blue eyes had lit up into a blaze. He was ready to fight now.

And so were we.

I looked at Don and Raph and nodded, and we leapt in to help. I knew I had to reach its cheek, but I admit even I was a little nervous about getting so close to those snapping jaws. Last time it had been relatively easy: jump on its back, poke its cheek.

Well, that wouldn't _quite_ work so well now.

Mikey leapt away from the jaws with a shriek, narrowly keeping all six fingers in tact. "Guys!" he cried. "Help!"

"We're coming!" Raph yelled. "Donny, how hard is it to hold that thing's mouth closed?"

"Mikey's? Haven't you been trying for years?"

"Not Mikey! The _croc_!"

"Oh. Well, I've heard that it only takes two fingers . . ."

"Are you willing to bet your shell on that?" I asked, dodging a vicious snap.

Don looked at the ground, and I took it as a no. "Well," I said, "do you think two _hands_ would do the trick?"

"Now that I'd bet my shell on."

"Alright then," I said. "Raph, Mikey, you hold it down. Donny, clamp its jaws and don't let go. I'll take care of the rest."

They looked at me like I was a psycho. Well, except Raph. _He_ was grinning. "Alligator pressure points?"

I shot him a grin in return. "You got it, brother. Let's do this!"

The croc didn't falter the least bit when it saw all four of us coming. If anything, it looked angrier. Mikey hung back just slightly, and I gave him an encouraging nudge. "Be brave," I murmured. "You can do it."

He nodded grimly. "Go," I told him. "You're with Raph. He won't let you get hu- umph!"

"_Leo_!"

The 'umph' was me as the croc cannoned into my chest. The 'Leo!' was Mikey screaming as he saw me fall. I tumbled across the floor and landed against the wall, where one of the shelves hung there- a big shelf- promptly crashed down, pinning my leg. "Ow!" I yelled. "Guys! I can't free my leg! Guys!"

But before Don or Raph could so much as turn, the croc lunged, jaws wide open.

This was it. This was the end. I was going to d-

_Crunch_.

No . . .

_No_ . . .

Oh, _shell_, no . . .

A single word escaped my lips.

"_Mikey_ . . ."

He was standing between me and death. There wasn't a trace of fear left in him.

And those teeth . . .

Those horrible, lethal teeth . . .

Every single one was burrowed in the flesh of his ankle.

I'd never known he could move that fast.

"Mikey," I whispered, "Mikey, you . . . you . . ."

Then I saw it.

_He wasn't thinking_.

He was doing something I never thought he'd be able to do. _Mushin_. No mind. No need to think.

"_Mikey_!" I shouted, knowing he had to snap out of it before he got seriously hurt. Well, more seriously hurt, anyway. "_Mikey, move your shell_!"

He seemed to snap back to his senses at once and panic filled his eyes. He gave a shriek of pain and fright and yanked on his leg just as the croc jerked its head, and flung him clear across the room.

I lunged as far out as I could with my leg trapped, ending up with my arms wrapped around the croc's neck. "Raph, Don! Give me a hand!"

Don hurried over and held the croc's jaws down. Raph pinned the rest of its body. And I jammed my finger into its cheek as hard as I could.

The croc growled and lashed its tail. And then, it closed its eyes and collapsed in a snoring heap.

It was over.

At last, it was over.

I yanked my leg free of the shelf and stumbled my way to where Mikey lay in a pile of half-finished drawings and old comic books and action figures. "Get the lights!" I said.

The room was almost immediately lit up by the bright glow, and I was able to get a good look at what the croc had done. Mikey's ankle was so torn up that I could see the bone inside, his thigh was bleeding again, and I could feel the warm, sticky liquid soaking the back of his head. I gulped. It was like going back in time, back to that dark day we had found him lying in the sewers, all alone, so cold, so pale, so afraid . . . "Mike . . . Mikey, can you hear me? Look at me, Mikey! Look at me!"

His eyes flickered open and he sat up just a bit. "Uhn . . . Leo . . . ?" He looked up at the ceiling, and then back at me. Don and Raph moved closer to us.

"Leo," Mikey whispered, a weak smile spreading across his face, "my eyes . . . they don't hurt."

We, too, looked up at the ceiling and back down at him, and I realized how stupid it had been of me to tell Don to turn on the lights. Mikey wasn't the only one practicing _Mushin_ tonight.

I grasped his arm gently. This time, he didn't wince or draw away. He just smiled.

Whatever part of his head was torn out of place in that first attack, slamming into the wall must've realigned it. He chuckled weakly and we just laughed and hugged him.

He was gonna be okay now. I was sure of it.

* * *

"Aaaaaarg!"

Oh, no . . .

This couldn't be happening. We'd been super careful to close the lair's main entrance ever since the croc had snuck through it two days ago. We'd tranquilized the beast good and then left it on the surface for animal control. This _couldn't_ be happening. Not Mikey. Not again.

I hurried over to the sound of the screams. "Mikey, what? What's happening?"

"Look!" He pointed at the wall. "It's there! It's _there_!"

"_What's_ there?"

"Can't you see it?! It's _right there_! It's right there, Leo!"

"_What's_ right there?!"

Suddenly his face broke into a grin. "Nothing. I just like making you panic."

I grabbed him in a headlock. "You," I said, "are a little twerp. You know that?"

Mikey's grin took on a hint of smugness. "Yep."

The contagious expression crept its way onto my lips as well. Had his head not been all banged up, I would have given him a noogie he'd never forget.

But as it was, I just gave him a good tickle-attack to the neck. It was good to hear him laugh again.

And it was good for _me_ to be able to laugh and relax, too.

I'm his big brother. It's my _job_ to torment him. It's my job to keep him up all night because I'm worried. It's my job to keep him whining 'let me sleep!' while I watch over him.

Protective torment.

What a concept.

* * *

_**A/N: Bleh, I hate being sick...well, hope everyone enjoyed; please R and R! Thanks for reading!**_


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